Category: Uncategorized

5 Health Tips Every (College) Student Must Know

I can’t believe that my son is starting college and in anticipation of this life-changing event I created this list of what I think to be the the most important health tips every college student must know. I still have vivid memories waiting in the nursery school library. I’d try to catch the eye of any teacher that walked by for reassurance that my baby wasn’t a crying lunatic in class. Guess who is the crying lunatic now? I’m going to … Continued

Bikram Yoga and the Crazy Benefits of Sweating Your A@@ Off

We spend loads of money on antiperspirants, dry wick clothing, and air conditioning trying to keep from sweating. So why would anyone purposefully sweat? Detox, endorphins, and regulation of body temperature are my top three. Let’s investigate the reasons to purposefully sweat and my favorite ways to do it. Some people sweat too much and some people not enough. The thyroid gland is your body’s thermostat. If your thyroid is over-functioning one of the symptoms you may experience is too … Continued

How to Balance Sun Exposure with Sun Protection

If you live in a place with sun year round you may not be as excited as a person like me, from Michigan, to bask in the rays of the sun come June. While we only survive because we have the sun. We also have many fears around the exposure we can get from it. Finding a balance between sun exposure and sun protection is key. Here are some pointers: Humans make vitamin D in the presence of sunlight. We … Continued

Bug Bite 101: Top 10 Tips to Do First

Bug bites go with summer like marshmallows go with campfires. As much as we cover, spray, and zap they are still out there annoying the hell out of us. Most bites are not anything to fret over but you need to know which ones require immediate attention. If you are in a wooded or high grass area, check for ticks. Ticks are sneakier than mosquitoes because they don’t buzz so you don’t know they are coming and they can bite … Continued

How I Didn’t Starve While Fasting

I could no longer ignore the benefits of fasting. I tried, really I did. When the studies came out about longevity associated with eating less, I promptly buried my head in the sand. It wasn’t until they kept coming, and kept coming, that I lifted an ear and then two. I love food. I love gourmet meals, street food, and everything in between. I think about food…constantly. So when I saw the studies and heard the doctors researching the health … Continued

What’s the Deal about Fasting for Health?

Fasting has gotten a lot of press in the holistic (and not-so-holistic) world lately.  Nutritional Fasting is going without food for an extended period of time. This doesn’t mean going without water. In fact, water is essential when you are fasting. Although the terms fasting, intermittent fasting, fasting mimicking diet, and calorie restriction are all different, for the purpose of this article we will not differentiate. Fasting is not an excuse to eat crappy. It is to enhance your health and … Continued

Do You Eat from Emotions or Hunger? 3 Powerful Tips.

Emotions or Hunger? Out of all of the things that I have learned while on the Fasting Mimicking Diet the most enlightening to me was how much I eat when I am not actually hungry. I found it fascinating how small the amount of food it actually took to make me satiated when I was rationing what I was able to eat each day. By satiated, I mean how much food it took to take away that gnawing feeling that feels like … Continued

Healthy Solutions to the 3 Most Common Men’s Issues

It’s not only men that come to me with men’s issues. It’s also the women who love or care about them. So whether you are a man or a woman, this post is for you. The three most common men’s issues that we see at the clinic are prostate problems, low libido, and erectile dysfunction. As a functional medicine practitioner, my goal is to get to the root of the problem. You will notice that the root of the problem … Continued

Simple Solutions For the 5 Most Common Golf Injuries

If it’s golf season, it’s also golf injury season. When the snow disappears and the greens dry up, I know to expect golfers coming through my clinic. It could be the one who has binge-watched all their favorite Netflix shows during those cold winter months. Suddenly they can’t stand up straight after golfing 18 holes.  It could be the one whose grip was so tight that their hand has been numb for a week. It could be the one who … Continued

It’s Father’s Day! A Month for the Papas

It’s no wonder that we celebrate Father’s Day in the month of June. It’s the time for golf and tennis and grilling. This month we are going to share great deals for dad, a BBQ recipe, a common sports injury handbook, and healthy solutions to those, discrete, manly problems. Let’s start with some great deals. Sometimes the men in our lives need some incentive to keep themselves healthy so we are offering $20.00 off an appointment with Dr. Francis if scheduled … Continued